On Wednesday night, Manitoba’s Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler suggested people living downstream of the dam in Rivers should evacuate their homes.

He says the heavy rain that’s hit Westman over the past few days has dwindled confidence that the Rivers Dam will hold.

Engineers recommended the decision after inspecting the 60-year-old infrastructure.

It’s expected that around 30 to 40 households in the Riverdale Municipality could be affected.

Schuler clarified the evacuation is just a suggestion, and that municipal governments will have to decide whether or not to issue a mandatory evacuation order.